Casual readers of this blog know that from time to time, I like to take a look at the Celtics' next opponent. As the C's prepare to move to 9-1, here's a look at the team standing in their way, the Denver Nuggets:

Since the trade that brought Chauncey Billups back to Denver in exchange Allen Iverson went down, there has been a new breath of hope for the Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony is the focal point of the offense and defense has been the name of their game.

The proof is in the pudding as Denver is 3-0 with Billups in the lineup.

While Celtics fans know just how productive Billups can be on both sides of the floor, it's safe to say he has added a dimension to the Nuggets that Iverson simply couldn't bring.

Defensively, the Nuggets are an entirely different team than last year. The specialization and overall improvement of their team defense has made the offensive-minded Nuggets a tough team to handle. The acquisition of the physical Billups has only improved that.

Take a look at a great video put together by Pickaxe and Roll, a Denver Nuggets blog. As you'll see in the video, there is a great emphasis in Denver on team defense. The video points out the contrast in defensive rotations in the halfcourt from last year to this:

A few matchups that I'm interested in seeing:

Carmelo Anthony vs. Paul Pierce ---

It seems that as the competition gets tougher, Pierce does too. We've seen him go toe-to-toe with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Now let's see what happens against 'Melo.

The one wildcard here for Anthony is that he hasn't faced Pierce or the Celtics with a point guard of Billups' stature. Look for a big night from Anthony. Here's hoping Pierce's night is a bit bigger.

Nene Hilario vs. Kendrick Perkins ---

Nene has been solid so far this season for the Nuggets, averaging 15-plus points per game. He'll have a tough two nights, squaring off against Cleveland's Zydrunas Ilgauskas Thursday before battling the physical Perkins Friday.

Denver bench vs. Boston bench ---

J.R. Smith and Renoldo Balkman have played quality minutes off the bench to start the season. I'm not so sure they can lead their second unit against the C's strong second five, however. Add the fact that Doc Rivers has been steadily using Pierce as the focal point of the Celts' second unit and the Boston bench is hard to beat.